|
|
The Beloved now compares
His Bride to ‘a
garden
enclosed....a
spring
shut up, a
fountain
sealed.’(
4:12,NKJV) - This garden is a private
garden reserved for the King (most were open to all). The King’s garden
was a special place of pleasure and rest.
| “The Lord is
asking you and me to be His locked garden. His personal place of beauty
and delight.
The heart of the bride was not open to the polluting spirit of the world. Her garden was locked up and sealed for only her beloved himself...there was no ‘For Sale’ sign posted. She continually said no to immorality, pride and greed. Her gifts and anointing were not to be sold or prostituted. They were used only for the pleasure of her beloved.” Mike Bickle,’Passion for Jesus”,p126 |
‘
Spring
’,’
Fountain’,’Living waters’ all talk of
the infilling of the Holy Spirit (See
Jn
7:38,
Jn
4:10-14)- this infilling is to be used only for the pleasure of the
King - not for our own glory! (Look up the Hebrew words and comment..)
 |
The 9 fruit mentioned here may refer to the 9 fruit of the Spirit and this can be seen in the SPICE CHART. Notice that the garden is called 'a garden of Pomegranates' - Love is the chief characteristics of all the fruit of the Spirit and indeed all the other fruits can be seen as an aspect of love (within the garden of love). |
The fruit of
the Spirit begins with love. There are nine graces spoken of, and of these
nine Paul puts love at the head of the list; love is the first thing, the
first in that precious cluster of fruit. Someone has said that all the
other eight can be put in terms of love.
If we only just brought forth the fruit of the Spirit, what a world we would have! Men would have no desire to do evil. Dwight L. Moody |
You can study further
on the spices by looking at the popups below....
| Aloes | Calamus | Cinnamon |
| Frankincense | Henna | Myrrh |
| Pomegranates | Saffron | Spikenard |
Verse 15 - 'A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.' - looking at the interpretations of these words we see that her area of calling (garden) is full of the Holy Spirit's presence and dynamic working. This all comes our of a pure heart - our of a character that is developing in all areas of the fruit of the Spirit.
Pause to pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the spices (Fruit of the Spirit) that are most lacking in your life and ministry. Ask Him to develop these areas.